This application is related to the following applications:
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/128,553, filed on Aug. 3, 1998, now abandoned and entitled xe2x80x9cA xe2x80x98Plug and Playxe2x80x99 Wireless Architecture Supporting Packet Data and IP Voice/Multimedia Services,xe2x80x9d pending; and
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/219,539, filed on Dec. 23, 1998, now abandoned and entitled xe2x80x9cWireless Local Loop System Supporting Voice/IP,xe2x80x9d pending.
This invention relates generally to the field of communications, and more specifically to a packet-based wireless local loop and method.
Wireless local loops have been used for several years to provide telephone service to subscribers. In traditional wireless local loop systems, omni-directional radios are used to link one subscriber or a group of subscribers to a telephone company""s central office. Omni-directional radios at the subscribers"" locations communicate with radios coupled to the central office, allowing the telephone company to provide service to the subscribers without the use of conventional twisted-pair copper wires. Wireless local loops are often useful because they can be easily reconfigured and do not require expensive copper lines. Wireless local loops are particularly useful in areas where, for example, environmental conditions make it difficult to lay copper lines between the subscriber and the central office.
A single subscriber or group of subscribers may have telephones, fax machines, and computers all connected to the same subscriber line inside a residence or building. Conventional wireless local loop systems are usually able to transport either analog voice and fax traffic or data traffic. A problem with conventional wireless local loop systems is that they cannot transport analog voice and fax and data traffic concurrently. The subscriber must choose which application to use.
Another problem with conventional wireless local loop systems is that the inability to transport analog voice and fax and data traffic concurrently adds complexity to the communications system. To properly handle the different types of traffic, equipment used in the wireless local loop typically needs to differentiate between analog voice and fax traffic and the data traffic. For example, if voice or fax traffic is being routed through a packet data network, equipment typically is needed to convert the analog voice or fax traffic into a format used by the packet network. Once the voice or fax traffic passes through the packet data network, equipment is needed to reconvert the traffic back into an analog format. These and other requirements of a conventional wireless local loop increase the amount and complexity of the equipment used in the local loop. This also increases the complexity and the expense of the overall system.
Further, typical wireless local loops use voice coders and decoders (vocoders) to convert analog voice signals into digital signals and to convert digital signals back into analog voice signals. Typical wireless local loops limit the types of vocoders that can be used in the system. For example, conventional wireless local loops often require that analog voice and fax traffic have a specific structure, which limits the vocoders that may be used in the system. A subscriber is unable to use other vocoders in the local loop, even though the subscriber""s preferred vocoder may have better performance, clarity, or security features.
In accordance with the present invention, a packet-based wireless local loop and method are provided that substantially reduce or eliminate disadvantages and problems associated with previously developed systems and methods.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a packet-based wireless local loop includes a wireless router operable to communicate with a network and a fixed wireless unit operable to communicate with the router over a wireless interface. The fixed wireless unit is operable to transmit a first plurality of packet messages to the router. The first plurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic from at least one wired device. The fixed wireless unit is also operable to receive a second plurality of messages from the router. The second plurality of messages contains analog traffic and data traffic, and the fixed wireless unit is further operable to communicate the analog traffic and the data traffic in the second plurality of messages to at least one of the wired devices.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for communicating over a wireless local loop includes generating a first plurality of packet messages, the first plurality of messages containing analog traffic and data traffic from at least one wired device. The method also includes communicating the first plurality of messages to a network over a wireless interface, and receiving a second plurality of packet messages from the network over the wireless interface, the second plurality of messages containing analog traffic and data traffic. The method further includes communicating the analog traffic and the data traffic in the second plurality of messages to at least one of the wired devices.
Technical advantages of the present invention include the provisioning of a packet-based wireless local loop and method. In particular, some embodiments of the present invention allow analog voice and fax traffic and data traffic to be carried concurrently in the wireless local loop. The analog traffic and the data traffic may be contained in packets of data, and the wireless local loop may route the packets to an appropriate destination such as another telephone, fax machine, computer, or a gateway to an analog network. In one embodiment, the wireless local loop routes the packets to their destinations without differentiating between the different types of traffic. Treating the analog traffic and the data traffic as packets of data allows all three types of traffic to be handled concurrently in the local loop.
Another technical advantage of some embodiments of the present invention is that the communications system may be less complex than conventional systems. For example, if voice or fax traffic is being routed through a packet data network, the wireless local loop may not need to convert the voice or fax traffic into another format. This allows less complex and less expensive equipment to be used in the communications system, which helps reduce the overall complexity and expense of the system.
In addition, some embodiments of the present invention do not restrict the type of vocoders that may be used in the system. Each subscriber may select which vocoder to use. This may allow, for example, the subscriber to select a vocoder having specific performance, clarity, or security features that are needed for a particular situation. The subscriber may even be able to use a personal vocoder that is unknown to the wireless local loop.
Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one of skill in the art from the attached Figures, description, and claims.